The Kent County 63rd District Court was on lockdown for about three hours on Monday, May 14, after a suspicious package was found.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, they responded to the courthouse shortly after 9 a.m. Deputies were directed to an envelope that was received through the US Postal Service that contained an unknown powdery substance.

The FBI and the Grand Rapids Fire Department Hazmat Team also responded to the courthouse and assisted in assessing the extent of the threat, as well as containment of the unknown substance. As a precautionary measure, the courthouse was locked down for a period of approximately three hours until it was determined that the substance had been contained and was not a threat to anyone inside or outside of the building. There were no symptoms of exposure reported by anyone.

The investigation is ongoing, and additional testing will be conducted to determine exactly what the substance is. Anyone with information about this situation is encouraged to call the Kent County Sheriff’s Office or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.